Visiting the Brazilian Cerrado

In the heart of Brasil, the Cerrado guards unbelievable natural beauties. Get up close to the huge biodiversity of one of the greatest Brazilian biomes.

The climate is dry and the trees are twisted. During the day, it’s hot, but at night, the cold weather is pleasant. The Cerrado is without doubt one of the most beautiful Brazilian biomes. For those who like to be in contact with nature, the Chapada dos Veadeiros and the city of Pirenópolis are two must-see refuges in the middle of the Planalto Central.

Enjoy the waterfalls, trails, native vegetation and histo-rical sights in the region. The vastness of the Cerrado can be found in the states of Minas Gerais, Goiás, in the Federal District, in Tocantins, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Bahia, in Maranhão and Piauí. Therefore, there is no run-ning away from him.

City of Pirenópolis

The city of Pirenópolis is located in the State of Goiás, but pretty close to Brasília. It is just a 2-hour drive to get to the beautiful and distinctive Cidade dos Pireneus. The road is nice and full of nature. When you get there, look for the historic center: its where the Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora do Rosário is located. For the goiano people (as the residents of the State of Goiás are called), it is the largest center of Catholic faith. For the tourist, on the other hand, what usually matters is its architecture and colonial style.

After visiting the Matriz de Pirenópolis, you can cool off in the Abade and Lázaro waterfalls, both very popular in the region. Take the car and follow the path that leads to the Pyrenees Park. Before arriving at the waterfalls, you will need to cover asphalt and dirt trails, besides a trail on foot. For each of the waterfalls, there’s a distinct path, but of similar distances. These are not very exhaustive trails, and the natural beauty is rewarding, especially due to the very little effort.

City of Alto Paraíso de Goiás

North of Brasilia, is the Chapada dos Veadeiros. It is worth facing the 3 hours and a half drive to the National Park, with a green area of 65,514 ha, considered a world natural heritage. Needless to say, there are a lot of waterfalls, trails and animal and plant species. A hippie paradise, the Chapada’s fame also attracts curious tourists who wish to know whether there is life beyond Earth. The region’s latitude is ideal for spotting unidentified flying objects, or UFOs.

Before the end of the day, it is still possible to visit the Vale da Lua, which is located outside of the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park. At Vale the Lua you will find curious rock formations carved by the rapids of transparent waters of the São Miguel River. It took 600 million years to acquire the current form.

The São Jorge village is another charming spot of the Chapada. With no asphalt, the town has many bars and restaurants. Nothing like having a beer at night and in peace. Local trade consists of craft. It’s always a good idea to take a souvenir home. Source: Embratur